Easter debits won’t
land until Tuesday

Kevin Mullan

Published:21:00Saturday 31 March 2018

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Sinn Féin councillor, Colly Kelly, has warned people who depend on Ulsterbank debits to receive essential income to be aware that any money due to land in their personal accounts over the Easter weekend will not transfer in until Tuesday.

Colr. Kelly has expressed concern that people due to receive benefits or wages this weekend, which happens to fall on the turn of the month when many monthly payments will be due, may be left out of pocket.

He said: “I’ve been contacted by three people who were contacted by Ulsterbank by text to let them know that these changes were taking place. Now some of these people are reliant on benefits that are due to be paid in and one of them was telling me they wouldn’t have enough money to survive that long.

“We actually had to direct them to local food banks. That’s the stage we are at with this.”

The text received by Colr. Kelly’s constituents advised: “We recently let you know that regular payments due in or out of your account on a weekend will not be processed until the next business day. As a reminder and to help you plan ahead payments due in and out of your account over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend will not be processed until Tuesday, April 3.”

This is further to the bank’s recent announcement that it no longer processes “regular customer transactions whether that is credits in (salary, benefits) and/or payments/debits out (direct debits, standing orders) on a Saturday morning.

“These are now processed on a Monday morning (or next working day after a Bank Holiday) meaning your available balance at the weekend via ATMs, digital and mobile will be displayed differently.”